Review: Grease Bats by Archie Bongiovanni

Grease Bats is one of those comics that just assures me that I’m missing out on so many things on the internet. It’s a comic collection tackling friendship, privilege, gender and sexuality.

Summary

So, no one told you life was gonna be this gay! Grease Bats stars Andy, a trans genderqueer individual who is both tough and loving, and their BFF Scout, an all-feelings-all-the-time mistake-maker.

Andy and Scout are best buds, roommates, and gay disasters. Along with their friends and plenty of beer, they’re just trying to make it through their 20s, survive late capitalism, and navigate the dating world. Tough and loving Andy is a genderqueer trans individual, who dates like there’s no tomorrow, while Scout, an all-feelings-all-the-time mistake-maker, is still languishing over her ex-girlfriend…from like two years ago.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Grease Bats is a collection of comics by Bongiovanni on Autostraddle except they’re all in one place now! Featuring all sorts of diverse characters, Grease Bats is a comic that should be read for anyone who wants to see issues of trans representation, body dysmorphia, and more! It’s one of those collections that inspires me to find more comics like this. A perfect blending of awareness, tough conversations, and friendship.

Seriously. If you’re searching for a comic that handles issues of misgendering, pronoun usage, consent, and gender queerness. Look no further. I adored the friendship between Andy and Scout. The ways these comics also tackle the difficult issue of a new relationship changing the nature of your friendship. It’s about embracing other people’s journeys, important conversations about identity, and relationships.

Grease Bats brings out all the feels. Carrying us back to the election, to the necessity of our own methods of resistance, and feeling not queer enough. It’s entirely relatable and affirming to see brought to life in comic form.